Skate



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

MATTHIAS VANDENBURG, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO FRANKLIN BERRY,

0F OVEGO, NEW' YORK.

SKATE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 23,129*7 dated March 1, 1859i.

To all whom 'it may concer/n.

Be it known that I, MATTHIAS VANDEN- BURG, of the city of Newark, in the county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Skates for the Ladies; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the drawings which accompany this specification and make part of the same.

The nature of my invention consists in confining the skate firmly to the foot by substituting for the ordinary method an elastic covering to the front of the foot, and in constructing the foot board of the skate in sections, thus rendering it adjustable to feet of Various width, while the stiff side st ays are equally eiicient in keeping the foot in place, in all cases.

In the drawings Figure l shows the improved skate in perspective. Fig. 2 shows the sectional foot board. Fig. 3 is an edge View of the same. Fig. 4; is one of the movable sections and Fig. 5 shows the main foot board. f

The same letters refer to the same part in each figure.

The letter A designates a strong elastic front made either of inclosed and covered metallic springs or of shirred rubber, which confines the foot to the foot board without cramping it or in any way impeding its natural action.

B shows .stiff stays of brass or other metal, to which the leather lining C is secured, the elastic A being stitched to the leather.

` These stays are securely fastened to the foot board by screws or otherwise. The heel cap H is fastened to the main foot board D, and the side stays are aiixed to the movable sections E.

The main foot board D is made with the part on which the heel rests, thicker than the other part, and through the thin part, the slots p are cut, to admit of moving therein the screws 7 with their thumb nuts S, to hold the movable sections in the desired place. Two movable sections E of the thickness necessary to make the top of the foot board of the required shape on its surface, are held to the main foot board D by the screws n which forms the pivot on which they turn, and the sections are held in the desired place by the screw bolt-1", and thumb nut s, the nut being under the board and so placed as never to interfere with any of the motions in skating.

In Fig. 2 the dotted lines show the sections apart and the plain lines the same when closed together. The inflexible side stays B being secured to these sections, the foot is thereby defended from any motion sidewise, as in closing them they can be pressed close to the foot before fastening them down.

The skate is held to the foot at the instep by an elastic band a afliXed to the heel cap H.

Skate irons can be put to the board in any of the usual manners.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. An elastic front to confine the foot to the skate.

2. Rendering the foot board adjustable to feet of various widths by constructing it in sections.

MATTHIAS VANDENBURG.

Witnesses:

W. M. GooDiNG, JOHN Gr. Dnnannsr. 

